Oleaceae

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The Oleaceae family counts ca. 24 genera and 800 species and is almost (sub-) cosmopolitan, with a higher concentration of species in Asia (Mabberley 2008). In Belgium only two genera are originally native, Fraxinus and Ligustrum, each with a single native species (respectively Fraxinus excelsior L. and Ligustrum vulgare L.; Lambinon & Verloove 2012). However, many species of the Oleaceae family are cultivated as ornamentals and some have been recorded as escapes in Belgium. In addition to those included in this account, species of Osmanthus are sometimes encountered in old parks, cemeteries, etc., especially O. heterophyllus (G. Don) P.S. Green and O. ×burkwoodii (Burkwood & Skipwith) P.S.Green, the latter being a hybrid of O. decorus Kasapligil and O. delavayi Franchet.